1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a blow molding apparatus and a method for blow molding articles utilizing multi-cavity molds secured to a rotatable blow molder wheel. The multi-cavity molds provide the rotatable blow molder wheel with the capability to produce bottles having different shapes. A changeover from a first bottle design to a second bottle design can be effected by changing the positioning between a die head of an extrusion apparatus and the blow molder wheel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rotating blow molder wheels of conventional blow molding machines are typically provided with single cavity blow molds which are capable of producing bottles of only a single design. The downtime required to change blow molder wheels, blow molds or other equipment in conventional blow molding machines in order to use the same extrusion system to produce a different bottle design is quite costly. Hence, these blow molding machines have been found to be disadvantageous.
Another prior art blow molding machine utilizes a rotating blow molder wheel having blow molds with multiple cavities, each of the same shape. If a changeover from a first bottle design to a second bottle design is required, the blow molds and, possibly, other equipment, must be changed. This kind of equipment changeover is costly due to, among other things, production line downtime and the need to have on hand separate blow molds for each bottle design.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for blow molding articles such that costly equipment changeover is not required when it is desired to produce a different bottle design with the same extrusion apparatus.